"Hey." Rodney said. "I thought you might want some food." He added placing a tray on the workbench.
"Thanks Rodney, but I'm not very hungry." Jennifer replied wearily.
"I take it nothing new then?"
"No. I had hoped that he had picked something up on his trip to Earth, which would be obvious in the blood work. But..." She trailed off.
"But everything is normal." McKay finished for her.
"I know I'm missing something. It is staring at me, but I just can't see it. Hell I've even started comparing his blood to other samples, including my last test when I was on the planet, quarantined, and free from any cross contamination, but nothing is sticking out as different. It is all the same and...I'm an idiot." She exclaimed as she quickly looked through the microscope again. Then she reached for other blood samples. Having found the one she was after she placed it under the microscope muttering. Finally she exclaimed what an idiot she was again and hopped off her stool and headed into Ronon's room.
Sheppard and Teyla returned from their enforced break in time to see Jennifer sprint into Ronon's room. Despite seeing Rodney loiter around a workbench they both feared the worse.
"What happened?" Sheppard demanded as looked towards the open door to Ronon's room.
"Good news I think." Rodney said looking at Jennifer's empty seat.
"You think?"
"I think Jennifer had an idea, then she kept saying she was an idiot before running off into Ronon's room."
"Well that's..." Sheppard started before Ronon's deep and pained voice vibrated round the room.
"You're meant to be good at your job but you're weak and pathetic. You don't deserve to be here. Go back to Earth, you'll never fit in. You have ruined my life. I'm loosing my hearing and my sight because of you. Why can't you accept you don't belong." Not waiting for Ronon to finish his rant Sheppard hurried over to Ronon's room. However, by the time he got there Ronon was silently unconscious again. Jennifer standing to his side was examining his face one handed. Not sure if he should signal his arrival or not Sheppard eventually decided to shut the door as loudly as possible without slamming it. The noise still caused Jennifer to jump.
"Sorry doc, didn't mean to scare you." Sheppard apologised.
"That's ok. I just wasn't expecting it." Jennifer said snapping her head back round towards Ronon.
"What did he mean about his sight?"
"He has started to loose vision in his right eye." Jennifer said whilst continuing to examine the Satedan. After a few moments she stood up straight, keeping her right arm close to her side and eyes away from Sheppard, and headed to the door.
"He's sedated. I doubt he will wake up for a few hours, but if you want to stay with him you can." With that she left the room not giving Sheppard the chance to say anything further.
Outside Ronon's room an awkward and stunned silence hung in the air. Everyone still focusing on Ronon's outburst rather than there duties. When Jennifer emerged the populous of the room moved in perfect unison to avert their eyes away from the doctor, causing Jennifer to feel very self-conscious. Trying to ignore everyone round her she headed to the far side of the infirmary towards a nurse where she stopped and issued orders, all the while not moving her arm. Eventually she made her way back through the sea of awkward looking infirmary staff to her office, which she entered and shut the door.
"Should you...talk to her?" McKay whispered to Teyla, who quirked an eyebrow in response. "I mean she might be upset and you're, well, a woman."
"I believe friendship is a more important factor than sex." Teyla replied.
"I so joined the conversation at the wrong point." Lorne quipped as he approached McKay and Teyla. "Why is everyone acting strange? Has something happened to Ronon?" He asked, all humour quickly disappearing from his voice.
"No. He just lost his temper with Jennifer and said some pretty harsh stuff."
"Where is she?" Lorne questioned as a nurse entered Jennifer's office carrying a small box.
"In her office." McKay said. Lorne didn't hang around to hear McKay's next comment instead he strode towards Jennifer's office.
"Hey doc." Lorne greeted pushing her door open. "What's happened?" He asked noticing a nurse applying a splint to Jennifer's arm.
"Nothing, it is just a sprain." Jennifer replied wearily causing the nurse to tut. "Something wrong?" She asked Lorne, ignoring the nurse.
"Just swung by to see how you are. How'd you sprain your wrist?"
"It is only a sprain, stop fussing." Jennifer snapped.
"Did Ronon do it?" Lorne continued.
"He didn't mean to. He's in so much pain he doesn't know what he's doing." Jennifer said.
"Shouldn't he be restrained? Next time it might not be a wrist. Does Colonel Sheppard know?"
"Evan. He is sedated. The sooner I find a cure the sooner he won't be a threat to anyone so go and let me work."
Scrunching his eyebrows Lorne frowned, but obediently left the office heading back to McKay and Teyla.
"She ok?' McKay asked.
"Great." Lorne replied, his answer dripping in sarcasm. When Teyla quirked an eyebrow he explained his response.
An hour later a nurse entered Ronon's room. The nurse immediately went to Ronon's side and hooked up two new bags. She then turned to Sheppard, Teyla and McKay.
"Dr Keller would like to speak to you?"
"Ok." McKay said, surprised by the nurse feeling the need to announce the news.
"I think she means outside." Sheppard said standing.
"Why?" McKay asked.
"She is worried that her presence might antagonise Ronon." The nurse explained causing the three healthy team members to share knowing glances.
"Doc? How's the wrist?" Sheppard asked leaving the room.
"Fine." Jennifer replied before speedily moving on. "Ok, I think I have found what is wrong with him. If I am right he should start to show improvement in a few hours, but it will be a longer road to recovery."
"What's wrong with him and is it in anyway contagious?" McKay asked.
"No Rodney you are safe. The sample that was taken just after you returned on the Apollo showed the presence of the Chicken Pox virus."
"The kids' illness?" McKay questioned.
"Yes Rodney."
"Aren't you meant to get spots with it. Shouldn't it have been really obvious?" McKay continued.
"Yes, but you said," she started while looking at Sheppard, "that he locked himself away for most of the trip."
"Yeah." Sheppard confirmed.
"My guess is that he had the normal symptoms, but no one saw him."
"So what's that got to do with what's wrong with him now?" Sheppard asked.
"Although his body fought of the virus, part remained in his nervous system."
"Shingles?" Sheppard guessed.
"Yes, but with complications."
"Complications?" Rodney parroted.
"Yes. Look I am still not sure by he reacted so badly but the tests I have just run confirmed the presence of the virus. Shingles normally effects the nerves on one side of the body, which explains why everything Ronon has experienced has been on his right. But his reaction was extremely severe, especially seeing how healthy he normally is, so there is a chance there is something else is at work here as well. For now we will treat the shingles and see what happens."
"But shingles doesn't have a cure." Sheppard said.
"True-ish. I have started Ronon on a course of anti-viral meds, steroids, pain meds and vitamins. Between them they should relieve his symptoms and help reverse the virus."
"Vitamins?" McKay asked incredulously.
"Don't knock them Rodney." Jennifer said wearily.
"Shouldn't you have noticed Shingles in his blood work. I mean wouldn't it have been really obvious?" McKay asked bluntly. "I mean he should have been fixed ages ago."
"Yes Rodney." Jennifer said guiltily. "There are traces in his blood of the Chicken Pox virus, but ninety percent of the personal have that so it didn't stand out. When looking at the blood everyone, including myself, forgot, or ignored, the fact he is not from Earth. The test for Shingles is not a standard procedure and it is an Earth illness so no one thought about testing him for it. Anyway if you'll excuse me I have some more tests to run." She said as she turned and left the group. Sheppard looked at Teyla who nodded and chased after Jennifer.